Publishers Weekly
01/11/2021
Cipri returns to the IKEA stand-in LitenVärld (first visited in 2020’s Finna) to deliver a delightful middle finger to capitalism and conformity. Otherworldly incursions are a common occurrence at LitenVärld, but as a member of the store’s new Special Exempt Employee program, Derek takes the supernatural in stride. He also lives in a shipping container in the parking lot, has no interests outside of LitenVärld, and doesn’t understand why people find him unsettling. When he coughs up blood from a new mouth that appears at the base of his throat, he takes his first ever sick day—and the next day, Corporate reassigns him to an overnight shift and tasks him with quelling any sentient furniture that might have popped up through the store’s latest wormhole. Then things get weirder: the team Derek’s supposed to be working with is entirely composed of alternate versions of himself. As Derek unravels LitenVärld’s secrets, he slowly figures out who he is beyond Employee of the Month. Though the story wraps up too quickly, the characters and atmosphere are expertly handled. Fans of Finna and new readers alike will be won over by this empathetic, anti-capitalist romp. Agent: DongWon Song, Howard Morhaim Literary. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
Shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award!
“Cipri continues to mix queer characters and anti-capitalist themes with energetic, bouncy prose. Highly recommended for readers looking for sf with queer protagonists, or who are interested in a short but exciting trip through some dimension-defying showrooms.” —Booklist, starred review
Praise for Finna
“Finna is a magical anti-capitalist adventure that crosses dimensions, abolishes gender binaries, and liberates retail workers. Reading it is a goddamn delight.” —Annalee Newitz
“Funny as hell, scary as f*ck, and so full of heart I didn't want it to end. A magnificent must-read.” —Sam J Miller
“Finna is the most grounded tale of multi-dimensional heartache I could imagine; it is completely and entirely lovely.” —Sarah Gailey
“Finna is a book of fantastical impossibilities and biting commentary on the perils of capitalism. But it’s also a heartfelt exploration of two people moving apart, only to be forced together in the most nightmarish of circumstances.” —Mark Oshiro
“Cipri hits all the right notes in this fantasy novella packed with action and emotion. Part horror, part humor, and all heart, the story uniquely showcases two queer protagonists dealing with their own emotional separation while also being forced to work together.” —Library Journal starred review
“The mixture of corporate drudgery and dimension-hopping adventure will hold the reader’s attention as well as Ava and Jules’ post-break-up foibles do. Recommended for those interested in sf that features queer relationships, minimum-wage labor, and many worlds theory.” —Booklist
“A weird novella examining capitalism, class and consumerism, all wrapped up in a scary, funny, and queer AF fantasy that you’ll swallow whole. It’s super yummy with a potent aftertaste that will (gratefully) stay with you for long after you’ve put it down.” —Ms. Magazine
“A fun, unexpected romp that, in between digs at big box stores and capitalism more generally, delves into questions of family, anxiety, and post-breakup friendship.” —Malka Older
“A rip-roaring high-concept adventure story with a steely spine of righteous fury and a heart overflowing with love.” —Lara Elena Donnelly
“If you’ve ever felt lost in the guts of a labyrinthine Swedish furniture store and only prayed to emerge intact, Finna is a must-read. Nino Cipri’s cracking debut mixes swashbuckling ship captains, carnivorous alien plants and relationship angst with the soul-deadening reality of a retail job in the hellscape of late capitalism.” —JY Yang
“Cipri has written the blue-collar fantasy I've wanted to read for decades, minimum wage and maximum weird.” —Meg Elison
“Snappy, hilarious, poignant and fun, Finna is a phenomenally queer adventure into minimum wage retail hell, multiple realities, and interpersonal relationships. Cipri has crafted a beautiful story with humor, weirdness, and empathy.” —Merc Finn Wolfmoor
Library Journal
05/07/2021
Cipri's follow-up to last year's Finna takes place in parallel with that first story in the LitenVerse series. While Finna followed the adventures of Jules and Ava as they chased a wayward customer through the multiverse of LitenVärld ™ stores, Defekt follows the misadventures of "Special Exempt Employee" Derek as he joins the inventory crew and learns that his entire life has been a lie. He discovers that he's just one of a batch of misfit LitenVärld™ clones, who were built to be perfect employees but have turned out to be perfect failures, only good for finding other failures and eradicating them. But those "irregular" parts are all facets of Derek, and through interacting with them, he learns who he might be—and what he has a chance to save. VERDICT This book isn't a wild adventure like its predecessor's romp through the multiverse. Instead, it's filled with subtle joys and quiet horrors, as Derek discovers not just who he is but who he might be, through his relationship with the other clones. This extremely quirky genre-blending story, with its middle finger aimed squarely at big corporations and profit-at-any-cost capitalism, will appeal to fans of Cory Doctorow or anyone who loved Grady Hendrix's Horrorstör.—Marlene Harris, Reading Reality, LLC, Duluth, GA
